Return of the Dragonfly
by Bebopcowgirl222
Summary: Dragonfly's back. I posted this cuz CrazyHorseGurl made me. Its ablsolutely 100 obnoxiously unbelieveable. Involves dragon dung and flamethrowers.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Alright. I stole characters from Tamora Pierce and just a couple from Sherwood Smith for one scene cuz I felt like it. NO FLAMES!!!!!!! THIS IS MEANT TO NOT BE SERIOUS OR ANYTHING REMOTELY REZEMBLING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Dragonfly's Return  
  
A Need Arises  
  
A fourteen year old sat by her window staring outside at the snow that was falling on the roof. It was winter break, and she was wishing she had something to do. (A.N. Yes it does snow in Louisiana, I know from personal experience.) The golden blonde hair and blue eyes masked a determined attitude. Tiffany Lassange was just your normal teenager, but for one thing. Tortall. Just last May she had been transported to Tortall to dispose of the evil King Maggur and she succeeded. It was then that she remembered; she hadn't checked in with Numair that month. She normally couldn't use her gift in her world, but thanks to a bracelet she had bought at a festival, she could channel her magic through the emeralds and do basic things like scry and contact Numair.  
  
She opened up a ball of lime green light in her palm.  
  
"Numair? Numair you there?" no answer.  
  
"Numair, Its Dragonfly. Where are you?" Still nothing.  
  
Odd, she thought to herself. Numair always answers.  
  
She picked up her mirror and began to scry, when she looked through the palace, there was no one there. Jon and Thayet, Alanna, Numair, Daine, No one. She began to look through the royal forest.  
  
When she started to search through Galla she found them. Numair and Daine. The image was fuzzy but she could tell that they weren't there for a pleasure trip. They were in a cave on the Galla-Tortall border.  
  
She created a simulcra of herself, grabbed her duffle and packed some clothes, a sleeping bag, a parka and her pistol. She grabbed the knife Numair had given her and cut a portal for herself into the general area and slipped a painting over the front.  
  
She slid in and closed the Portal. Great, more snow. She thought grumpily as she pulled the parka closer. They should be around here somewhere.Bingo! There was the cave!  
  
***  
  
Daine sat with Numair's head in her lap, feeling totally helpless. He was dying, he was dying and she couldn't save him. His normally tanned features were pale, his eyes closed tight. They were out in the middle of nowhere, everyone at the palace had been captured except her and Numair, and they had escaped. But it had cost Numair his life.  
  
As tears leaked from her eyes she looked out and saw something that made her heart stop; there was something coming toward the cave, it was bulky and dragging something. She shifted into a wolf and prepared to fight when she stopped, and pulled her clothes back onto her human form. She ran out and hugged the thing.  
  
"Dragonfly! Dragonfly what are you doing here?"  
  
"Wondering what the heck is going on? What did I tell you about going out into the middle of nowhere unprepared?"  
  
Dragonfly walked into the cave and dropped her duffle bag. It was filled with clothes, food, makeup, and shampoo. "Where's Numair." She stopped as she spotted him, laying on a bed roll, unmoving. "What happened?"  
  
"These. things.attacked the palace. They were magicly powerful and they got Jon, Thayet, Alanna, everyone important. They tried to take us but Numair held them off long enough for us to get away. We've been running from them ever since. They can't get us here. They hate the cold. As soon as we were safe he collapsed. He drained himself fighting them off." She began crying again. Dragonfly walked over and hugged her friend. Daine was about twelve years older than her, but Dragonfly was taller.  
  
"Shhh. Its alright. Its going to be okay."  
  
As soon as Daine had calmed enough, Dragonfly set to work, Alanna and Duke Baird had trained her as a healer and she hoped she could save him.  
  
She worked all night, cleaning wounds on both Daine and Numair, and transfering the emergency gift she kept in a opal around her neck into him. At around one, she was satified that he would probably live. She hoped so, Daine was already distraught. 


	2. Mocking Manners

Mocking Manners  
  
She woke up the next morning to find Numair awake and Daine cuddled up next to him.  
  
"Well someones feeling better." She said cockily.  
  
"You know what I asked Daine when I woke up: Am I dead? And her reply was: Would Dragonfly be here if you were?"  
  
"You're ridiculous. I save your life and you mock me."  
  
"How on earth did you get here?"  
  
"The Subtle Knife."  
  
"Figures."  
  
"What were those things Daine described."  
  
"Driads. The product of Maggur's son."  
  
"Son? I didn't know the creepo had a son."  
  
"We didn't either until two weeks ago."  
  
"That's all this country needs is another crazy maniac trying to take it over. Besides the one already running it I mean."  
  
"You're going to get yourself thrown in prison if you aren't careful."  
  
"I don't think Jon will be doing anything of the sort at the moment." She said looking out at the snowstorm. "And we can't do anything about it either. Not until this storm abates."  
  
"You aren't seriously thinking of going against."  
  
"Of course I am! Someone has to bail them out and you and Daine are going to help me."  
  
"I was afraid you were going to say that."  
  
The day was spent preparining to leave for Corus as soon as the storm abbated. Dragonfly refused to allow Numair out of bed.  
  
***  
  
Later that night:  
  
"Oh Numair, I was so worried about you. I was feeling so helpless. I was sure you were dying and there wasn't anything I could do about it." Daine was curled up in their bedroll, her head resting on his chest.  
  
"Its alright Daine. I'm fine." He said as he gently stroked her hair.  
  
"Then Dragonfly showed up."  
  
"She's a mixed blessing that's for sure."  
  
"I HEARD THAT!!!"  
  
"You see my point." Daine giggled. Dragonfly sat up and scowled. She was clearly itching to blast him.  
  
"Shut up before I undo that healing." She said and pulled the covers over her head.  
  
Numair rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss Daine. "mmm, I missed you so much."  
  
She kissed him back. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked into her eyes and smiled. She could care less if she was hurt, it was him that counted. He hugged her to him, her breath stirring his hair. She kissed him again, harder. He could feel her pressing against him. He started stroking her back, and carefully lifting her shirt before.  
  
"WOULD YOU TWO BE QUIET?!?!?! This is ridiculous, I'm going sleep in the back of the cave before I hurl!" She stood up and stalked over to the back of the cave with her sleeping bag and pillow. Something jumped out from her duffle and followed.  
  
"You brought Devil Cat?" Numair said exasperatedly.  
  
"Course I did, I never would leave Seville alone." She said, scooping up the tabby.  
  
Daine giggled and settled into Numair's arms falling asleep to the crackling of the dying fire. 


	3. Send in the Calvary

Send in the Calvary!  
  
Then next morning, Dragonfly was cooking breakfast when Seville ran outside and started bouncing around in the snow.  
  
"Seville, Get back here!" It was then that she spotted the three horses approaching the cave. "Tigress! Spots! Cloud! What are you three doing here?"  
  
We heard you arrive and knew that you'd need help getting the others back. Tigress stated. Dragonfly hugged her large friend and heard a squeak. Kitten and Zek climed out of her saddle bags. Kitten immediately launched herself at Dragonfly.  
  
"She missed you, I'm glad we finally found you. Its cold out there!" Tkaa the basilisk said in thin, whispery common.  
  
"Oh Tkaa!" She went up and hugged the large immortal. "How'd you find us?"  
  
"Kitten sensed you. Once we felt it was safe to come out of hidding we went after you. We also got a lift from her grandparents."  
  
"Well now we have the whole calvary don't we?" She said squinting out into the snow, she could just make out the figures of Diamondflame and Wingstar. "So you're Kitten's grandparents, It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
"You must be Dragonfly, Skysong told us you had arrived." Wingstar commented.  
  
"I think the cave will just fit you, I didn't know we'd have visitors."  
  
The group walked into the cave, which suddenly seemed smaller with eight more creatures.  
  
Daine woke up and ran over to hug her small charges as well as the Dragons.  
  
Numair, after Dragonfly reluctantly agreed to let him out of bed, went over to converse with Tkaa and the Dragons.  
  
"Dragonfly, you realize of course that we're going to need help to do this don't you?" Numair asked as he walked over from where they had been talking.  
  
"Yes I did, and I know exactly where to get it." She said, not looking up from the gumbo she was stirring. 


	4. When Good Girls Go Bad

When Good Girls Go Bad  
  
"Okay, the storm is slowly letting up, and we're going to need renforcements if we want to stop Maggur's son and get the Royals, Alanna, etc. back. I'm going to go get those renforcements and some gear. We depart as soon as the weather clears up. Questions?"  
  
"Do we have to rescue Alanna?"  
  
"Numair, don't be an idiot, you're too good at it."  
  
With that Dragonfly pulled her Parca on and departed with a backpack on her back and her cell phone out.  
  
***  
  
"Hello, Eva? Yeah its D. Uh huh. Yeah, I know, I'm in the middle of a snowstorm. Listen, are you and Liset busy? No? Good. Your parents are in Italy till June right? Good. Meet me at my house, bring Liset, warm clothes, and the Hummer."  
  
Dragonfly hung up her phone and put it in her backpack. She grabbed the Subtle Knife and opened an extremely large portal into her Driveway. She threw two stones in and shed her gear and Parca under a tree. She then walked through the portal herself. Two exact coppies of Eva and Liset, her two best friends, walked back toward their respective houses. It was the middle of the day, so her parents wouldn't be home until three. Just then Liset and Eva drove up in a Black HumV. Not the H2 mind you, the real, military kind. Only this one had been specially moddifed for Eva. Her dad was a multimillionaire, and he had the full armor on it for protection.  
  
"Care to explain the snowstorm raging in back of you?" Liset asked as she and Eva dropped down from the cab. While technichally they shouldn't be driving, they did it anyway.  
  
"You remember me telling you about my little trip back a few months ago? To Tortall?"  
  
Eva and Liset nodded, they had realized Dragonfly was acting funny and asked her when she got back where she had been.  
  
"Well, the king and queen have been captured and its up to us to get them back, you interested?"  
  
"Sounds like fun. I assume those simulcra things have already been set loose?" Eva confirmed.  
  
"Yup. Did you bring extra gas?" "Duh! Course I did!"  
  
"Okay then, I made the portal big enough to fit the Hummer and all the gear we'll need plus the horse trailer, I already hooked it up while you were parking. Just drive it through."  
  
"Okay, Lets get this party started!" Eva yelled as Dragonfly threw her gear in back of the Hummer and she and Liset jumped in. When they drove through, Dragonfly magicly closed the portal and began to explain what was going on and what they needed to do.  
  
***  
  
Numair and Daine were warming up some left over gumbo for lunch, when they litteraly felt the earth shake. They looked outside to see the Hummer drive up and skid to a stop, slinging snow into the mouth of the cave. The other occupants looked out curiously at the large, metal box that was towing the horse trailer. All three girls jumped out and grinned.  
  
"Numair, Daine, everyone, meet my two best friends in the whole world, Liset and Eva, who have kindly agreed to help with our cause."  
  
"What, dare I ask, is that?" Numair said in disbelief.  
  
"This is a HumV. Our milliary uses them for transportation. Eva's dad moddified this one for her when she can legally drive. The thing on the back is a horse trailer. So Spots, Cloud, and Tigress can ride in pure, equine, comfort. This thing can go at 70 miles an hour for as long as you want it to. And its totally bullet and arrow proof. Daine, please demonstrait by shooting it with the bow of your choice."  
  
Daine complied. The arrow hit a window and glanced off, not even scuffing it. "It will fit all of us, except for Wingstar and Diamondflame. Do you two mind flying?"  
  
"Not at all, we prefer it. We will meet you at the castle." Wingstar replied as he and Diamondflame took flight.  
  
"Okay, pack up! We head out in an hour!" Eva yelled. There was a flurry of motion for the next several minutes as everyone cleared the campsite and packed up the equipment.  
  
"Thankyou for riding with us today, we request that you keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times and do not remove your seatbelt. If you should feel the need to hurl, please press the button with the up arrow on it, stick your head out the window and hurl then please return the window to its original position." Dragonfly yelled over her shoulder. She and the other girls were sitting up front. Daine, Numair and Kitten were in the middle with Zek and Seville, and Tkaa was in the back.  
  
"Okay, hit it Eva!"  
  
With that, the Hummer lurched forward and began to trundle over the dirt road toward a crossible point on the Scarran Border that Numair had located beforehand.  
  
"Are you sure this is safe?" Numair asked uncertainly.  
  
"Safe? Of course its safe!" The road shooting by was making him nervous.  
  
Meanwhile, Cloud and Spots were basket cases as the trailer rocked and bumped on the dirt road. Tigress was hardly batting an eye, she had ridden in trailers before and it didn't bother her in the least.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, Dragonfly opened the sun roof. "Well the storms stopped." She said as she stuck her head out. She then began hacking. "Mosquitoes are out." She managed to choke.  
  
"We're getting close, there's the river. By the way, how are we going to get this thing across the river--?" he asked as the HumV turned sharply and went right through the river onto the other bank.  
  
"Anymore questions? Oh, Eva, you did remember the pistols and the machine gun?"  
  
"Yup. I told you my dad kept this thing totally armed."  
  
"Oh good. Then we still have the rocket laucher?"  
  
"Uh Huh."  
  
"And the flame thrower?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Oh this is going to be fun!" 


	5. Tamming of the

Taming of the. Eww!  
  
"Okay, what's our attack plan DF?" Liset asked as the group sat in the parked HumV, waiting for instructions as to how they were going to break into the enourmous castle ahead of them.  
  
"Uhhhh, What attack plan?"  
  
"You don't have an attack plan?!" Daine said exasperatedly.  
  
"Save us Mother Goddess!" Numair mummbled  
  
"Hey, I wing it! That's the way I live! And I see no reason to change that now!"  
  
"So basiclly, you were going to storm the giant castle infront of you.. with no plan what so ever, and expect to suceed?" Numair asked sarcasticly.  
  
"Uhhh Yeah! Duh! And stop being sarcastic! That's my job."  
  
Just then, a large portal opened up and a young woman, no older than Daine, but no younger than Dragonfly, looked out.  
  
"Dang it! This isn't where I wanted to go! Try another portal! And this time make sure it doesn't break anything!" Lyra yelled. She then dissapeared as quickly as she had come.  
  
"Dang plot gophers!" Dragonfly muttered, "They get into everything!"  
  
Dragonfly alone seemed to know what had just happened, everyone else was clueless.  
  
"Well, anyway. We have amo, unfortunently, you all are clueless as to use it, so Eva, Liset and I will. If my scmatics are correct, the castle looks totally solid, and it is. Except for one wall, the one facing us. Its only a few inches thick. The Hummer should get us through it. Once we're in, we split into two groups. Offensive and Defensive. Numair, you Daine and Kitten are the offensive. You're jobs are to get to the dungeons and get everyone out. They're going to keep Alanna seprate, considering she's the only one who could have any hope of escaping. Get her out first so she can help us and then get everyone else out! Defensive is going to include everyone else. Daine, I need you to contact Diamondflame and Wingstar and tell them to create a diversion on the OPPOSITE side of the castle. Once they're busy, we can get in unnoticed and I'll turn the Hummer invisible. Defensive will follow Offensive and watch their backs. If you see one of those. Things, Yell out. I'm the only one who can take them and not kill myself in the process. If these things are as powerful as they sound, we can be sure there won't be a lot of them. It takes a lot of magic to create something that powerful, and Maggur's son isn't that powerful. Plus I want to see if my theory that they aren't fire proof is correct. We attack at midnight. Questions?"  
  
Everyone just stared at her. "Okay then, get prepared!" she yelled at them! They immediately began doing their assigned chores.  
  
Numair singled Daine out after a while, whispering that he needed to talk to her.  
  
"Daine, what we're doing is dangerous. I know that you already know this, and I know that you don't look for trouble. But please, if you and I are separated, you have to promise me that you won't do anything drastic. Promise me." Numair said, his eyes boring deep into Daine's.  
  
She matched his stare with her own, blue grey one. "I promise Numair." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "If you kill yourself, I will never forgive you Numair." She said into his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her waist pulling her close. Pulling his wife to him.  
  
"I would never willingly leave you Magelet. Never in a million years would I leave you willingly."  
  
"I'm glad, because I couldn't live without you."  
  
He kissed her again, soundly. She couldn't believe he was still alive. Only days ago she had been sitting in a lonely dark cave watching him slowly slip away from her. Now look. It was truly a blessing that he was alive. No she corrected her self, It was Dragonfly. There was a huge difference. 


	6. Dragon Dung and Flamethrowers

Dragon Dung and Flame Throwers  
  
"Okay Dragonfly, hit it. The Dragons have created a distracion!" Daine yelled.  
  
"Can do hawk eye, roger that, over and out." Daine rolled her eyes and landed swiftly in the HumV's cab and switched to human form.  
  
As soon as she was safely inside, Dragonfly rolled up the window and stepped on the gas. The horse trailer had been disconected and hidden in the bushes. The horses were waiting for the all clear from Daine.  
  
"Let's do this thing!" Eva yelled they went through the wall.  
  
The girls quickly pulled out various weapons. Dragonfly grabbed her pistol and a flame thrower. Eva pulled a shotgun out, and Liset grabbed a rocket launcher.  
  
"Where did you get this stuff?" Numair asked.  
  
"When your dad works for the government, you can get anything." Liset replied.  
  
"Most of this stuff is illegal." Dragonfly stated matter of factly.  
  
"That explains why you like it."  
  
"Shut up before my itchy flame finger kicks in. Offensive head out. We'll cover your backs. Well, Daine and Kitten's backs, I can't guarentee I won't take out Numair." She grinned evilly.  
  
"Concentrait on fighting the ENEMY Dragonfly, then you can take out Numair." Eva repremended her.  
  
"Awww, do I have too?"  
  
Kitten suddenly runs into an ajacent room and squeaked in pain, came out a minute later and continued walking.  
  
"I'm not even going to ask," Dragonfly said as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Trust me, you don't want to know," Daine replied. To Kit she said: "You know better than to do that inside Kit!"  
  
"SHHHH!" Numair said as he crept across the passage leading to the dungeons. "If anyone hears us we're dead!" He slid down the stairs and peered around the corner at the Scaran keeping guard over one cell, and six keeping watch over another.  
  
Numair motioned for Dragonfly to take them out. He needed to save his gift for freeing Alanna from the chains she was undoubtedly being held with.  
  
Dragonfly crept up and pulled out her pistol. She fired all six shots, one into each guard and blasted the last one with her gift. She then lifted the bodies magically and flung them into an empty cell.  
  
Everyone walked into the corridor; Dragonfly locked the door after them.  
  
"Kitten, I believe these locks are your line of bussiness."  
  
Kit whistled her agreement and then let out a long, low note. Followed by several short high ones in rapid succession. Every lock in the room flew off and landed, smoking, on the floor.  
  
"You would be priceless if you ever wanted to break into fort Knox." Eva said as she gave Kit a quick pet. The dragon smiled smuggly.  
  
"Dragonfly! I'm going to need your help with this! Numair yelled from inside the closest cell. She walked in to find Alanna and George wrapped in chains and gagged.  
  
"How many times did you two escape for them to tie you up like this?" Dragonfly asked as she melted the chains and pulled off the gag.  
  
"Six, one for each guard." Alanna and George both grinned and stood up as the last chains fell away. "You have no idea how good streaching feels." George said  
  
"You realize of course that you all owe me big time don't you?"  
  
They just rolled their eyes and ran outside to help Jon and Thayet.  
  
When the last person was freed, there were over a hundred people standing in the once empty corridor. The Scarans had captured all the knights, pages, and squires at the castle so that no one could come to the rescue. From their majesties to Alanna to Raoul to several lesser mages. Everyone of importance had been captured.  
  
"Dragonfly and company, Tortall is forever in your debt and."  
  
"Stuff it Jon. You can give us the thank you speech when we're safe and happy in Corus. Or when El Creepo's son's head is detached from his body, which ever comes first."  
  
Everyone ran outside after Dragonfly. She then opened a closet and pulled out all confiscated weapons, or rather, the weapons fell on her out of the over stuffed closet.  
  
"George, I assume at least a quarter of these are yours?"  
  
He nodded and began to stuff daggers and other nasty looking weaopons into various places on his person. Alanna grabbed her sword as the rest searched through to find their lost items.  
  
It was then that the Driads came. They were tall, reptilian beasts with snake like heads. They walked upright and they were sort of a emerald color. There were about ten of them.  
  
Dragonfly whipped out her flame thrower and began to blast the creatures. Several burst into flames and were soon piles of magically powerful ashes. The other five were unfazed by the others untimely demise.  
  
"Some of the younger ones do not know how to block flames as we can." Said the largest of the group. "Surreennnnnnddddddddeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr nnnnnnoooooowww and wwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeee wwwwwiiiiiiiillllllllll nnnnnooooooooottttttt hhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuurrrrrrtttttttttt yyyyyyyoouuu." He said in a hypnotic voice.  
  
Everyone elses eyes went out of focus and they began to put down their weapons. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Dragonfly yelled as a large crack opened up in the floor and the large one fell in.  
  
Everyone imediately came back to the real world and picked up their weapons again. Dragonfly then whipped out her rocket launcher and began blasting the rest of the driads.  
  
After she was done, only one remained. "Now you have a choice, you can lay down and I kill you fast, or we do it the hard way and I shoot you with a chain gun, either way you're goin' down Dude."  
  
"I shink mssss. It ithss you thatsss going down."  
  
"Okay, we'll do this the hard way then!" She yelled as the large gun began firing in rapid succession. When she was done all that was left was the smoke.  
  
Now came the regular guard. Swords out they were all running after them.  
  
"Okay split up! Numair and Daine take the pages! Eva get the squires and knights! Liset cover my back and everyone else get out of here ASAP!!!" Everyone followed orders. Dragonfly blinded the guards long enough for everyone to get away. She then ran into the same room that Kit had relieved herself in earlier. She pulled out her flame thrower yet again and hit the dragon dung. There was an immensely large fireball that erupted. The three guards that were outside the door were crispy. Dragonfly walked out just as Numair was passing with the pages. Numair shoved the pages out of the way and wrapped his arms around Daine to protect her.  
  
"Mental note for future reference: Dragon Dung is highly explosive." Dragonfly said as she walked out. She looked right out of a cartoon with her blackened everything.  
  
Those pages who had not seen her before stared.  
  
"Don't worry, she's harmless. Unless you provoke her of course." Numair said, smirking at her.  
  
"Oh shut up."  
  
Daine giggled.  
  
They ran down the hall, Dragonfly in the lead, followed by Daine and the pages, with Numair bringing up the rear.  
  
When they finally reached the courtyard where they had "parked" the HumV, they found Maggur's son standing in front of it. There was a huge explosion and Daine and Numair were flung into a large brick wall, the pages were thrown clear into the forest.  
  
"D*** it! Why do you people always go after them! Daine and Numair never did anything to you!"  
  
"No, they didn't, but you did."  
  
"You look just like your father, Maggur's son, only slightly less ugly."  
  
"For the record, my name is Oran. And for posterity, I give you a chance to surrender."  
  
"Whatever Maggur's son."  
  
"Oran" He said as a bolt of aqua fire flew out of his hands toward her.  
  
"Maggur's son!" Dragonfly yelled as a shield of magic formed around her. When he stopped firing, lime ice began to wrap around him.  
  
He quickly subdued it. "You are no match for me, you worthless, pathetic, weak, bratty teenager!"  
  
"WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS CALL ME A BRATTY TEENAGER?????!!!!!! I'm a %^&##@& American teenager! There's a difference between the two! I'm not sure what it is. But there's a difference! I'm by nature a knuckle dragging barbarian!" She yelled as her eyes began to flash. "You will pay for kidnapping all those people Maggur's son!" Her hands made several rapid movements before Oran disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
"Where'd you send him?" Eva asked.  
  
"The White House. Where else? He'll fit right in! D*** Hitler wannabees! He can't screw the government up anymore than it already is."  
  
"How very true."  
  
It was then that she realized that there were several very angry Scaran guards bearing down on them. Dragonfly looked up and whistled. Tigress came bolting out of the trees, followed by Cloud and Spots.  
  
Go ahead Tigress, you haven't had any fun today.  
  
The mare snorted and began to chase after the guards, who were caught off guard at being attacked, not in the way they were accustomed to, but by a horse.  
  
It was then that Dragonfly's eyes happened to wander over to the stone wall where Daine and Numair were lying unconscious and bleeding. "Not again!" She yelled as she ran over to them. She carefully pulled Daine off Numair and laid them on their backs. She gasped. Numair was going to be fine, he hadn't taken the full impact, Daine had.  
  
She was white as chalk and bleeding profusely from a wound in her head. She was covered with gashes and bruises and it looked like she had broken both legs and her left arm.  
  
"ALANNA!!! Duke Baird!!! Neal!!!" She yelled at the top of her voice. All three came running. When they saw what a state Daine was in they immediately got her onto a stretcher and took her into the castle. No one challenged them, they had no king to defend. They took her straight to what looked to be the hospital wing. 


	7. Life and Death

Life and Death  
  
Numair stood outside of the hospital wing room that Daine was in. He hadn't slept in at least two days, not since he had woken up to discover Daine hovering between life and death. She had somehow gotten behind him when they were thrown. So he had slammed full force into her, right after she hit a solid stone wall.  
  
Even Dragonfly herself was subdued. Silent and tired, trying to fight off the fatigue and pain that came from doing what she had done. She had stayed up all night, rummaging through books that could help. She found little. A very effective painkiller was about it, and she had to go through another world to get it. It was called kinthus.  
  
She had gotten it from a place called Remalna. As always, Dragonfly had a solution everything. She had realized that almost every place that was written about was real in one way or another. She had read about the berries in another one of her fantasy books. She managed to astonish the occupants of the Country by showing up in the middle of the palace. She was a stranger dressed in shorts amongst court ladies dressed in the finest satin and silk. Always one for an entrance, she entered in the middle of the petitioners court, while it was in session.  
  
She had stood up and looked around, "Cool! I didn't think this would work!" She then had the grace to look embarrassed at where she had turned up. She managed an elegant curtsey in the long blue jean skirt she was wearing. The entire court was scandalized, due to her absolutely bare shoulders and slightly exposed leg.  
  
"Forgive me your highnesses. I am Tiffany Lassagne of Tortall and Louisiana. I know you, and of your adventures, though you do not know me. I come from Tortall to request some of your kinthus berries." The king and queen were left looking at her like she had three heads.  
  
"Dam it, I knew I should have thought about where I would enter before I did this."  
  
"Do all people where you come from dress as you do?" The king managed to stammer.  
  
"mmm? Oh no! Well not those from Tortall at least, in America everyone does."  
  
"How do you know of us if you have never been here?" The queen asked, her fan in the Confusion angle.  
  
"Well, I got a hold of a copy of YOUR memoires. Meliara, is it?"  
  
"There was a copy missing from the library! It was you?"  
  
"Not me personally, someone else. Its currently published in America and the UK and going into its second paperback printing." She looked up at the king, who was looking at her as though she was crazy still.  
  
"Forgive me, you are Vidanric?"  
  
He nodded. "You requested kinthus berries?"  
  
"Yup. And I would appreciate your speed, I have a friend who is deathly ill and her husband is a puddle."  
  
He nodded again and motioned from his seat on the cushions for the berries to be brought. They arrived momentarily.  
  
"Thank you very much sir."  
  
"One last question, how do you know our first names if you have never been here before? Few outside court know them."  
  
"Well, let's just say they're mentioned in her memoirs, plus some juicy conversations that I won't repeat." She grinned and disappeared.  
  
"That was strange." Melira muttered before the court began to buzz with confusion. Dam Mages, she thought to herself.  
  
When she returned, Dragonfly ground the berries up and made them into a pill for Daine to take as soon as she awoke. If she awoke.  
  
***  
  
By the fifth day Daine had been asleep, everyone was begginging to lose hope that she ever would, Numair was dressed in all black and refused to sleep. He sat by her bedside, day after day, night after night. Silent tears pouring down his face. Dragonfly had managed to force some food down his throat, so that was why he was still alive.  
  
She woke up at nine o'clock on the seventh day. As Dragonfly predicted, she was in terrible pain and needed the pill. It lasted for quite a while, enough for Dragonfly to gain enough of her gift back to give her a dose of that.  
  
"mmm Numair?" She asked as she woke. She tried to reach up and kiss him, but was consumed by a terrible pain when she moved her arm. She cried out.  
  
"Ssshhh. Daine, its okay. You broke your arm and both your legs when you hit the wall, Dragonfly said you shouldn't move." He smiled at her, the first time in days. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly.  
  
"You're alive!" a joyfull voice sang from the door. Dragonfly stood there, dressed in a pair of kaki pants and a hoodie. "Alanna! Everyone! She's awake! She's awake!" It was then that Daine saw everyone from the palace come running into the large room. She was surrounded by well wishers, from their majesties to Alanna to Raoul to Sarge to Neal. Everyone was so happy to find her alive.  
  
"Okay! Enough! Daine needs her rest! Everybody OUT!" Dragonfly and Alanna yelled in unison. They looked at each other and laughed. Dragonfly walked over to Daine once everyone was gone. "Here, Daine. Swallow this. It will ease some of the pain until I get enough of my gift back to take it away properly." She stuck the small red pill in her mouth. Daine was asleep in moments.  
  
Over the next few days, everyone prepared to go by boat back to Corus. Numair, Daine, Dragonfly, and company would go back in the HumV, to reduce the stress. Tkaa would take Kitten and Zek with him by water. So Dragonfly created a makeshift bed in the back, Numair would sit with Daine, making sure she was alright, while the girls sat in their customary seats up front. It was then, more than ever, the horses descition to go by water was appreciated most. They could send the horse trailer home and the ride would be smoother, it was the cause of most of the bumping.  
  
***  
  
They reached Corus several days ahead of the others. The second that they were there, Daine was quickly conveyed to her and Numair's room. When Dragonfly went to her own rooms, she opened her door to find a surprise. Kaddar was standing in the middle of her study, smiling.  
  
"Kaddar?" Dragonfly breathed. She ran into his outstreached arms, kissing him full on the lips, fire flooding her.  
  
***  
  
Numair sat on the bed next to Daine, gently stroking her head. It was still hard for her to move, but she was slowly recovering. She smiled, a weak attempt to reassure Numair, who had been blaming himself for all that had happened to her. He still refused to leave her bedside except to go to the privy. But Dragonfly no longer had to force food down his throat, he ate without her nagging.  
  
"Numair, please, what's wrong?" Daine asked, seeing her lover looking so distant.  
  
"Its just.I still feel like its my fault this happened to you. If I hadn't jumped in front of you to protect you, It would be me. But instead I acted the hero again and you have to bear what should have been mine."  
  
"Numair, how many times must I tell you?! It wasn't your fault, it never was your fault and it never will be your fault! I don't blame you and you shouldn't either! Even Dragonfly doesn't blame you!"  
  
He laughed, "Yes, I suppose if someone were to blame me it would be Dragonfly. Do you think we should have mentioned to her that Kaddar was waiting for her?"  
  
"No, I think the surprise was a good one. She missed him dreadfully, if what Eva said was true. They're sleeping over here tonight and leaving in the morning. They said that they miss the heat of Louisiana. Kaddar said in his letter that he wanted Dragonfly to go home with him."  
  
"That's good. She'll be out of our hair for a while."  
  
"I'm not sure whether to rejoice that we finally got rid of her, or to be scared to death that she's eventually going to be an Empress."  
  
"Let's just enjoy the moment. Shall we?" she said as she rested her head on his lap.  
  
"Mmm Yes, let's." Numair allowed Daine to fall asleep like that, when he was sure she was asleep, he carefully rested her head on the pillow and he slipped under the covers next to her.  
  
***  
  
Five days later, Eva and Liset had gone home, and just about everything was back to normal. Daine still wasn't allowed out of bed, not until her legs healed properly. Kaddar was leaving with the unneeded army in another few days.  
  
"Dragonfly, you should go! You should go with Kaddar!" Daine said from the bed.  
  
"Should I? I don't want to leave you and Numair and everybody, but I love him and I.I missed him the entire time I was home." She blushed, the first time Daine had ever seen her embarrassed.  
  
"You should go. There's no reason not to. And from what Numair said, you also need to give the occupants of Remalna an explanation."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." She chuckled, "You should have seen the look they gave me! I think they thought I was crazy!"  
  
"Not to far from the truth."  
  
"Humph!" 


	8. Saying Good bye

Saying Goodbye  
  
It was a sad day when Dragonfly left. She stood on the prow of the ship and waved goodbye, silent tears leaking down her face as she watched the place she had grown to love disappear. Kaddar walked up behind her and hugged her.  
  
"Its alright, its not like you're leaving forever! You'll love Carthak! I promise."  
  
"I know, and I'm sure I will, its just.I'm going to miss everyone. I've only lived there a few months and yet I'm forever attached. I'm going to a place I've never been, to become an Empress. You can't say you wouldn't be scared as well!"  
  
He didn't reply, he just held her as the boat sailed away.  
  
***  
  
Back on shore, Daine's reaction was much the same. Silent tears. She sat quietly in the wheelchair that Dragonfly had filched from a hospital. Her arm had healed already and her legs were almost done. Numair stood behind her and watched as well. After they were well out of sight, Numair pushed her inside and she sat in his lap, wondering if Dragonfly would come back. She said she wouldn't marry until she was twenty, it wasn't right for someone to marry younger, she said.  
  
"I'm actually going to miss her," Numair remarked.  
  
"After everything she's done for everyone, all she ever wanted was to live simply on the land Jon gave her. Instead she's off to become one of the most powerful Empresses in the world. I have no doubt she'll do a good job, its just, I'll miss her." She replied, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Numair bent down and kissed her hair, her cheeks and finally, her lips. She just held onto him with every ounce of strength she possessed. She sighed, it sounded so final. Numair lay down on the bed, Daine on top of him. He carefully lay her down on the bed next to him and wrapped his arms around her. Winter still clutched at Tortall, and Numair grabbed a blanket and covered them both, wondering what else Dragonfly would manage to do while she was gone. He was reasonably certain that she wouldn't remain the dormant wife of an emperor for long.  
  
She'd come back, and nothing would stop her from it.  
  
** Alright duckies, this is the end of this one. I didn't post this under my own will, Crazy Horse Girl made me do it! Post it, I mean. I wrote it out of my own will but never wanted to post it.so there. 


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